Inhibition of expansion and function of pathogenic age-associated B cells and use for the prevention and treatment of autoimmune disease

Abstract

This current invention provides methods and agents for preventing and treating autoimmune and lymphoproliferative disease by targeting pathogenic age-associated B cells as well as methods of detecting these pathogenic age-associated B cells as a method of diagnosing and predicting autoimmune disease and other lymphoproliferative and chronic inflammatory disorders.The current invention also provides targets for drug development and basic research for autoimmune diseases and other lymphoproliferative and chronic inflammatory disorders.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of treating systemic lupus erythematosus in a subject in need thereof, comprising the administration of a therapeutically effective amount of a nucleic acid which encodes human DEF6 protein and a nucleic acid which encodes human SWAP-70 protein, wherein the administration of the nucleic acid which encodes human DEF6 protein and the nucleic acid which encodes human SWAP-70 protein abolishes or decreases pathogenic age-associated B cells, and wherein the pathogenic age-associated B cells are CD11c+ and secrete anti-dsDNA IgG. 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the nucleic acids are delivered directly to the pathogenic age-associated B cells in the subject.